1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Sciatica

can't cope with pain

Posted , 8 users are following.

suzanne136
suzanne136

Can't cope with this pain anymore.stood here writing this in tears. when I sleep its on settee for about 2 hrs a time wake up again needing more oramorph just to stand. Physio said cant do any morr still waiting for appointment for pain management clinic to maybe have steroid injection into spine. Waiting for appointment for consultant told 14-16 wks cant wait that long .if it weren't for my family dont think il'd be writing this.

doctor doesn't know what else he can do.on so much medication which doesn't serm to help just dont want to carry on any more.....

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • marshall71
    marshall71 suzanne136

    Posted

    Sorry to see your in pain

    I suggest you contact your local MP a email outline your problems and the lack of treatment you have recently received

    I've been where you are Took me a year too get a MRI scan after seeing 7 gps which all said no had physio hydro all did nothing about more pain i take cocktail of painkillers and amitriptyline too sleep put on weight it's a uphill battle to get anything do you now have to be pushy with the NHS keep asking for some to be done.

    I do know how you feel and wish you well

    Your message is common I read many like yours I wake up in pain and wait for my meds to work so I can see it's been like this since last year have you tried TENS for the pain ? I use it works well hot water bottles.

    It's good you came on and tried to address your concerns and asked for guidance

  • ang85680
    ang85680 suzanne136

    Posted

    I have been suffering for years with sciattica pain.  I live in New York about an hour from the city.  There are pain management offices in every town practically.  Is it because of insurance that you can't get an appointment sooner?  They put me on cymbalta and I couldnt believe I got relief almost immediately.
  • BirdBrain
    BirdBrain suzanne136

    Posted

    Aww Sue, so sorry to hear this, I was hoping by now that you would be slightly more comfortable. Please hang in there love, things will improve. I remember a few months ago I felt the same and went through all sorts of dark feelings. 

    Is there any way you can get to a swimming pool? Floating in the warm water of the baby pool can support your muscles and give some temporary relief. 

    Did you get anywhere with the acupuncture?

    I'm currently having hydrotherapy at my local hospital and it's helped loads. 

    I agree with marshall71 for sure, you need to go back and have a kick off about waiting so long: those that shout the loudest get heard. I know waiting lists are ridiculous everywhere but these conditions are not prioritised enough in the nhs. 

    I wish I could wave a wand for you and rush things through. All I can do is send my support and words that will hopefully keep your spirits up. 

    Hang in there, I know you can do it. You're stronger than you think xx

    Rachel smile

     

  • LindenS
    LindenS suzanne136

    Posted

    Suzanne, lots of people on here know exactly how you feel. I suffered in agony for five years the last time, but have beaten it (still have to be careful obviously). I put loads of information on the thread 'Inversion Tables' which I won't repeat here, but the first thing I would suggest is get yourself an electric heat pad (£30 or so in Argos) and use it all the time, when sitting, when in bed, take it everywhere with you. It will help enormously if you can lie on the sofa/in bed and put your lower legs on two or three pillows when using the hot pad, so your thighs are vertical and your lower legs are horizontal. This should help, but if it doesn't, your herniation is in a different place/at a different angle - this is a matter of trial and error. But heat, lots of it, will help you. Follow as much of the info I posted on the Inversion Tables thread as you think might help, but I honestly wouldn't bother with medications unless you can honestly say they help. They didn't do a thing for me, but I have beaten it all on my own, following advice that 'felt' right and I can only recommend you do the same. Don't go for surgery though.
  • charles54091
    charles54091 suzanne136

    Posted

    Hi suzanne,

    I've had incapacitating sciatica 3 times, and it was to the point where I could not stand or walk.  Since at the time I had no medical insurance, I followed my brother in law's advice, which was to stay in bed for 8 weeks.  I was told that my problem was inflamation at the base of my spine, somewhere, somehow, which put too much pressure on my disks and muscles.  Well, it worked, and after 8 weeks I stood and walked and drove from NY state down to Florida.

    Twice again I did the same thing, so staying in bed for 8 weeks seems to be the amount of time it takes for me to self-heal.  I am now once again in a similar situation, but at 77 years old it may not work.

    The really puzzling part of this is that no doctor will recommend such a practice, at least I can't find it anywhere.  They even say that to stay in bed may be harmful......  

    But if all else fails, I would suggest trying it.  

    charley

  • amanda_84583
    amanda_84583 suzanne136

    Posted

    Oh you poor thing sad sorry to hear you are in so much pain ,  I have been there I too have been suffering so much lately  , the doctor has put me on Zomorph and it is working much better along side the Naproxen ,  I am due to have injections on Friday , hope you get to be seen soon , also give the pain management clinic a call to ask if any cancellations  could they keep you in mind as you are desperate to be seen asap , good luck Suzanne. 
    • suzanne136
      suzanne136 amanda_84583

      Posted

      Hi Amanda

      well to cut to the short version I was rushed to hospital 10 days ago and transferred to the QE in B'ham due to worsening siatica,was retaining wee and brachialgia.underwent a right nerve root injecte under ct guidance with minimal improvement and was discharged thu just gone without operation under the chronic pain team.The immense pain has gone but im dosed up to the eyeballs on morphine, steroids, diazepam etc

      the reason they gave for not . operating was the disc buldge pressing on the nerve was quite small and they felt they may cause more damage and they hoping the inj will improve things. Slept in bed fri and sat night but up again this morning in pain so who knows. got to go back to.see Specialist in 2 wks but will be going up before if it continues. Just sick of the whole thing now. Feel like im never going to go back to a normal life.......xx

    • LindenS
      LindenS suzanne136

      Posted

      You sound in a terrible way suzanne, but please, please don't rush into surgery hoping it will solve everything. It's risky and if you can find another way, do so. Have you tried using an electric heat pad? Constant heat will help enormously. I've beaten my own sciatica (and yes, I was almost totally disabled, could not walk 100 yards or stand for more than a minute or so). Everything I did is on the thread 'inversion tables' - I admit I threw everything I had at it, but as a close friend now lives in a wheelchair forever thanks to a botched sciatica operation, my incentive to cure myself was very high. You can beat this, but there's no certain way, although a heat pad (£30 or so) will be a very good start. I use mine all the time, still, even in hot weather and have a heated seacover in my car. You can beat this without surgery. Good luck!
  • amanda_84583
    amanda_84583 suzanne136

    Posted

    Oh no you poor thing you have a had bad couple of weeks you must have been out of your mind being rushed in , yes i agree  for you to go back if things don't improve as permanent damage is what you want to avoid , no one wants surgery but If there is no alternative what can you do , yes try everything first tens heat pads etc , please don't give up and  I don't say that easily , I have tried everything but  I am having surgery and of course I'm  apprehensive and scared stiff but I want some normality , I have forgotten who I am , it really does drag you down , keep strong Suzanne and hopefully the nerve root injection you have had will calm down the inflammation and settle soon for you . Good Luck.
    • suzanne136
      suzanne136 amanda_84583

      Posted

      Thanks it just feeks like your old life has gone. When do u have your operation amanda, have they told u how long the recovery time is.

      now I'm home is like my hubby thinks everything back to normal but its far from it.with the 2 kids the oldest being disabled its kind of doubly hard too as if he has a bad night or his food alarms as his gastrostomy fed cant even get up to him.

      dreading the summer holidays if no improvement. luckily I have a support group with my mom and dsd and sisters and ironaclly my best friend also suffered from this for nearly 2 yrs she had her operation last yr which was successful so she knows what im going through ..also have come home from hospital with a cough. .chest infection so think I need antibiotics very gteen which is probably why im more sore too.

      Anyway enough of my moaning and lets hope we all get some relief soon I have got a heat pad and x also as tenns machine though the latter sermed to csuse more pain

      take care

      sue x

  • amanda_84583
    amanda_84583 suzanne136

    Posted

    Bless you Suzanne , what are inspiration you are , if you havent got enough to contend with then you are struck with this dibilitating condition, I am due for surgery 11 th August , and he mentioned the recovery time to be around 5 months, I keep thinking this time next year I could be a new woman and start afresh , keep going with the heat pad and tens machine I use mine to get me through until my meds are due , today hasn't had a good start but I think I over did it yesterday ...  I say I'm not gonna moan about it today but hey we are allowed to be moaning Minnies and  I'm only moaning about myself and not others smile so will try to be positive the end is in sight,  fingers crossed , hope you have a good day , keep us informed how you are getting  on , take care xx
  • Lennie3
    Lennie3 suzanne136

    Posted

    I sympathise with your situation Suzanne. Before I got surgery my GP gave me pethidine for a few months which was way more effective than oramorph but spaces you out. If you have any respiratory or heart condition it's too risky because it depresses your respiration but otherwise it might be worth a try?
  • suzanne136
    suzanne136

    Posted

    hi all just an update.Its been 4 wks now since i had the spinal root nerve block and im in a much better place.I am up and back even driving although still on lots of my medication.slow release morphine,gabipenton,steroids,duloxetine,paracetamel and ibuprofen,saw the pain management doc last wk and have stopped the amatriptripilin which is playing havoc with my sleeping hense writing this at 3.30 in the morning.My horrendous pain is gone but i do have a constant ache in my right buttuck cheek which does go down my leg i am still on a walking stick but just not to have that pain is wonderful.hoping the ache will go eventually altough the doc thinks it may be a muscle in my bum cheek causing the ache and has said i can have an injection which will help.It may be that i am just overdoing things with the kids now being on holiday.determined to come off more medication slowly and hoping i will continue to improve.

    hope everyone else ok

  • thomas97463
    thomas97463 suzanne136

    Posted

    hi thee suzanne ...im sorry about the pain your in and hope its not as bad now ......im going through the same think right now .....hospital yesterday the ambulance came for me and that gave me gas ans air to get me moveing after 4 hours that let me go home with diaziapan and cocodimol and thats it ....its killiing me right now and i can only walk 20 yards before i have to sit down for 5 mins ...so the quistion is how long will this pain last (who knows)and at this rate i cant see myself gatting in to work on monday sad(((
Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.